The new land-based scenic spot "Samaji Coastal Trail" was launched this year as a way of reducing the crowds visiting Liuqiu tidal zone, engaging in snorkeling and other water activities. The project introduces a local fishing village landscape, culture and life stories via art, while also inviting artists, local associations and children to participate in its creation, which attracted a large number of visitors in March, the off-peak tourist season. This month, the installation received a silver medal in the landscape design category at the Muse Design Award in America.
The Samaji Coastal Trail is about 2 kilometers long below the round island road. As part of the project, a total of 13 groups of large and small art installations were created. In particular, the word "An" commonly used by the people of Liuqiu was integrated into the event curation and named "Our Liuqiu." This reflected the desire to offer a local perspective and transform the memories and life culture of Liuqiu residents into creative elements by introducing an art corridor that tells stories and offers visitors a better understanding of the island, so more people can learn about "the unknown Liuqiu."
This art event invited artist Sung Hsiu Ying to create 10 sets of lovely clay works that showcase the life stories of Liuqiu residents, including those about convict soldiers known only to the older generation, and fish sharing among returned long distance fishing boats; sculptor Chang Ya-hsiung gives voice to the worries about future ambitions faced by a 15-year-old Liuqiu boy in the early days of going to sea or leaving his hometown to study through a large clay sculpture. The most unique work "Eight Lucky Beasts" was created by Tsai Yiting, a local art teacher, who gathered local children to help design the piece and combined it with works by ceramic art team "Claydoll" to highlight the true spirit of public art.
Liuqiu was once a simple traditional fishing village, but with the rise of "quasi-overseas" tourism to Taiwan’s outlying islands has been transformed into a popular tourist spot, resulting over time in the loss of many past ways of life and shared memories. The Samaji Coastal Trail has been popular with the public and recognized by international design awards since its opening, not only helping to divert crowds from local water attractions, but also showing the importance of showcasing local life and culture. It is hoped that the public visit the trail and admire the unique coral reef geology and coastal scenery of the island, while experiencing the distinctive visual beauty and local stories of Liuqiu at a more sedate pace.
